Air India Express has restored flights to all its West Asia destinations with the resumption of services to Kuwait and Salalah. The expanded schedule strengthens connectivity between India and the Gulf region, offering more travel options for passengers and supporting business, tourism and family travel.
Air India Express has fully restored its network across West Asia with the resumption of flights to Kuwait and Salalah, marking another step in expanding regional connectivity between India and the Gulf. The airline announced that services between Kozhikode and Salalah resumed on 2 July, while flights from Kozhikode to Kuwait restarted on 3 July. Bengaluru-Kuwait services are set to resume from 4 July, with frequencies increasing over the following days.
What has changed?
The restored services reconnect passengers travelling between India and two important Gulf destinations after a temporary disruption. The airline says the phased expansion will provide greater flexibility for leisure travellers, business passengers and the large Indian expatriate community living across West Asia.
Flights between Kozhikode and Salalah now operate twice every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Services between Kozhikode and Kuwait initially begin with one weekly flight before increasing to three weekly services from 5 July. Likewise, Bengaluru-Kuwait operations will start with one weekly flight before expanding to three weekly frequencies from 7 July.
| Schedule effective from 2 July, 2026 (all timings are local) | ||||
| Departure | Arrival | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Frequency |
| Kozhikode | Salalah | 11:00 | 13:05 | Tue, Thu |
| Salalah | Kozhikode | 14:15 | 19:45 | Tue, Thu |
| Schedule effective from 3 July, 2026 (all timings are local) | ||||
| Departure | Arrival | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Frequency |
| Kozhikode | Kuwait | 07:30 | 10:05 | Fri |
| Kuwait | Kozhikode | 11:05 | 18:50 | Fri |
| Schedule effective from 4 July, 2026 (all timings are local) | ||||
| Departure | Arrival | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Frequency |
| Bengaluru | Kuwait | 02:25 | 04:50 | Fri |
| Kuwait | Bengaluru | 05:50 | 13:25 | Fri |
| Schedule effective from 5 July, 2026 (all timings are local) | ||||
| Departure | Arrival | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Frequency |
| Kozhikode | Kuwait | 02:15 | 04:50 | Wed, Fri, Sun |
| Kuwait | Kozhikode | 05:50 | 13:35 | Wed, Fri, Sun |
| Schedule effective from 7 July, 2026 (all timings are local) | ||||
| Departure | Arrival | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Frequency |
| Bengaluru | Kuwait | 02:25 | 04:50 | Mon, Tue, Sat |
| Kuwait | Bengaluru | 05:50 | 13:25 | Mon, Tue, Sat |
Passengers travelling to or from Kuwait should note that all Air India Express flights will operate through Terminal 4 at Kuwait International Airport.
Why is this important?
The return of these services restores Air India Express connectivity to all destinations across its West Asia network. The airline now serves two airports in Oman, Muscat International Airport and Salalah International Airport, giving travellers additional options when planning journeys between India and the Sultanate.
Air India Express has also reinstated flights between Muscat and Mangaluru from 3 July. The airline now operates around 40 weekly flights from Muscat to seven destinations across India, strengthening links between the two countries.
How extensive is the network?
With the latest additions, Air India Express operates flights to 13 destinations across Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Overall, the carrier now offers approximately 780 weekly flights between India and West Asia, directly connecting 18 Indian cities with the region.
The airline has also expanded its network in recent weeks by launching new routes linking Navi Mumbai with Abu Dhabi, Guwahati with Abu Dhabi, Guwahati with Dubai, Bengaluru with Phuket, and Pune with Amritsar. These additions reflect the airline’s continued focus on improving both domestic and international connectivity.
What does this mean for travellers?
For passengers, the restored services provide more travel choices, improved flight availability and greater convenience, particularly for those visiting family, travelling for work or returning home during peak travel periods. Increased flight frequencies are also expected to improve seat availability and scheduling flexibility.
Following the latest expansion, Air India Express will operate around 415 weekly flights from Bengaluru, connecting the city with 30 domestic and seven international destinations. From Kozhikode, the airline now operates about 85 weekly flights connecting travellers to 13 destinations across West Asia and Bengaluru.
Passengers can book tickets through the Air India Express website, mobile application and authorised travel booking platforms.scription
